The internet is a beautiful place.
It’s a place where people of all ages and races can come together…
to jump to conclusions.
In part 1 of ‘your self-defence program sucks’ I wrote about knife defence. Knife defence. Not ground fighting – knife defence.
350 words on why half-baked knife defence programs are stupid… because they are stupid. And dangerous. I didn’t feel as though it needed to be clarified, but here we are.
I’ve since been told it upset a few people. If it upset you, I’m sorry, but consider that you may be part of the problem. Either that or it’s insecurity – but I’m not your psychologist (narcissistic offence by proxy?).
I make zero personal attacks. I’m not in the business of personally attacking anyone. It was a collective observation and comment, because for the past few decades the self-defence world has been plagued with unrealistic self-defence programs (in this case, knife defence) taught by instructors with ZERO real world experience (here’s a great example – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tuXmOyEiOmg).
Imagine joining the military and learning defensive field strategies from someone who has never been to war.
Imagine going to the police academy and learning from someone who has never been a cop.
Imagine learning to swim from someone who has never been in a pool…
You get the point.
I’ve been lucky enough to hear directly from senior, decorated military personnel who have been in life-or-death situations and American prison staff who are, and have been, at risk of stabbings on a daily basis. They too have laughed in the face of some of the modern day, choreographed, nonsense self-defence programs getting around.
I, personally, feel it is an ABSURD notion that you can train someone to have complete composure when defending against a KNIFE WIELDING attacker. Soldiers prepare for war and are still killed. Fighters train to win and are still knocked out.
Assuming you can teach the everyday person to deal with a knife wielding attacker after a few seminars just does not add up. If we were to use the same logic, every first-time fighter, be it Muay Thai, Boxing or MMA would have complete composure and look like a world champion.
But they don’t, do they?
Now take into account skill acquisition and that time does not dictate success.
I’ve seen apparent Muay Thai gym owners train and compete at a skill level I would barely consider to be the level of an ‘adequate’ AMATEUR fighter.
Let’s face it – the likelihood of being attacked by a knife is SLIM. INCREDIBLY SLIM. If it was as common to wield a knife as it was to drive a car, THEN let’s look at making knife defence almost mandatory – but it’s not as commonplace, so that’s comparing apples and oranges.
Watch this – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E61jnJe_1SI
If someone wants to stab you, they will. By all means, practice knife defence, but don’t live in a ridiculous, air-fairy self defence world.
Now although my last post and this subsequent post was about knife attacks, I don’t want to leave the rest of the self-defence community out, because the likelihood that you could be ASSAULTED WITHOUT a weapon is a lot more likely than with a knife.
My favourite grapple/wrestle based martial art for self-defence would have to be Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu (BJJ), without a doubt. There is obviously, like Muay Thai, a sport element to it – though its carry over and practical application makes it a great martial art for self-defence.
Love you all, so please don’t get into a situation where you might be stabbed.
Kieran xoxo
PS Similarly, it seems I need to point out that confidence is not a self defence technique, but a mindset and a sense of being. I thought that was obvious, but oh well.